It seems like Goat Simulator wasn't dumb enough (no offense though, that game at least had some content), people are starving for more dumb stuff.Rock Simulator 2014 was posted on IndieGoGo at Jun 26 and just in 5 days it doubled it's goal (that means they're over $1000 now).Here's their IndieGoGo campaign link: Link

So what's your opinion on this guys?

Personally I find it disturbing that so many good games disappear into nothing because the developer wasn't lucky enough to make the next big hit and he can barely make money out of it, then someone comes around, makes an IndieGoGo campaign for something that is completely pointless and most of the people here could develop in a few hours and his project gets funded with $1000 in 5 days.

Personally I find it disturbing that so many good games disappear into nothing because the developer wasn't lucky enough to make the next big hit and he can barely make money out of it, then someone comes around, makes an IndieGoGo campaign for something that is completely pointless and most of the people here could develop in a few hours and his project gets funded with $1000 in 5 days.

I agree. It's all about marketing, exposure, and how cute your video is. Actual quality/gameplay aren't as important when it comes to marketing the game. The passerbys just want something flashy that grabs their eye, and lack the ability to see the potential (or lack of). :/

I think it has potential, people can do lots of things with rocks. The game has a theme that has really attracted attention, we never actually seen the gameplay. Its obvious the developer has a sense of humour that allot of the community likes. No matter what, this game will be popular. Good or Bad.

I think games like this are supposed to be "ironic" with the developers and "players" not taking themselves too seriously. That can be a breath of fresh air in the indie community, where there is seemingly always something to complain about. I don't think the developers are doing something as insidious as a well-timed cash grab, but I suppose I could be wrong about that.

I don't really care about these types of games either way, but I hope they go away soon. Or I hope the developers use the spotlight to showcase other upcoming indie games. There are so many other beautiful things being created, and while this is funny for a few minutes, the entire community could be so much *more* than it is now.

What I'm really afraid of is when this goes "mainstream" and the app stores are flooded with "simulators" in the same way they're flooded with zombie-run-and-jump-flappy-bird-2048 clones now.

It was only funny when Surgeon Simulator did it. These pathetic cash-in attempts that came after it are the worst. It's like the video game version of buying fake vomit from a novelty store. The joke is incredibly old at this point, and the developers are ever-more-transparently hoping that they can give players as little as possible and charge a premium for it. They're not deserving of praise just because they happen to be successful. They're polluting the indie marketplace, and they're not even being funny about it anymore.

It was only funny when Surgeon Simulator did it. These pathetic cash-in attempts that came after it are the worst. It's like the video game version of buying fake vomit from a novelty store. The joke is incredibly old at this point, and the developers are ever-more-transparently hoping that they can give players as little as possible and charge a premium for it. They're not deserving of praise just because they happen to be successful. They're polluting the indie marketplace, and they're not even being funny about it anymore.

I agree. Also I know people from other forums who said that they're not happy about indie games coming to consoles because they're poor quality games with small amount of content to offer. While obviously this is a naive viewpoint, these kind of games do make this stereotype stronger.

I agree. Also I know people from other forums who said that they're not happy about indie games coming to consoles because they're poor quality games with small amount of content to offer. While obviously this is a naive viewpoint, these kind of games do make this stereotype stronger.

Yeah. The reason why I think Surgeon Simulator works is because a) it came first; b) it was a funny, on-the-mark reference to the ridiculous numbers of "legit" Simulator games on Steam; c) aside from the Simulator thing, it harkened back to crazy, difficult, old-school surgery simulator PC games like Life & Death; d) the game was a polished product with jokey mechanics, rather than an unpolished product we're meant to believe is part of some purposeful humor.

What I find most obnoxious are the people who buy into it, who just find the joke oh-so-funny, and won't think twice about tossing $10 down a hole for the chance to hear it again, only with ever-crappier delivery. It's part of the impulse purchase culture that Steam has introduced and perpetuated. Don't get me wrong, I think Steam is overwhelmingly a net positive for gaming, but discovery is bad enough on there without the top of the list being populated with endless reams of joke games and early access projects.

I agree. Also I know people from other forums who said that they're not happy about indie games coming to consoles because they're poor quality games with small amount of content to offer. While obviously this is a naive viewpoint, these kind of games do make this stereotype stronger.

Yeah. The reason why I think Surgeon Simulator works is because a) it came first; b) it was a funny, on-the-mark reference to the ridiculous numbers of "legit" Simulator games on Steam; c) aside from the Simulator thing, it harkened back to crazy, difficult, old-school surgery simulator PC games like Life & Death; d) the game was a polished product with jokey mechanics, rather than an unpolished product we're meant to believe is part of some purposeful humor.

What I find most obnoxious are the people who buy into it, who just find the joke oh-so-funny, and won't think twice about tossing $10 down a hole for the chance to hear it again, only with ever-crappier delivery. It's part of the impulse purchase culture that Steam has introduced and perpetuated. Don't get me wrong, I think Steam is overwhelmingly a net positive for gaming, but discovery is bad enough on there without the top of the list being populated with endless reams of joke games and early access projects.

Yeah, I agree.

The mobile "buck an app" market doesn't help either, personally I think projects like these are just well marketed to kids/impulse buyers. I mean honestly, this personality type has always existed. It's just that with the advent of dirt-cheap games via steam sales and the really cheap less-than-McDonalds apps it's made people a lot more willing to just toss $5 at something just for the reward of saying they funded it, for humor's sake. These "developers" for Rock Simulator are just taking advantage of that. :/

Now, the one and only redeeming thing I could say is, chances are almost everyone who funded Rock Simulator problem didnt take funding money from other projects, they're probably "funding regulars" anyway. I can't imagine many first-time funders funding it. But then again, who knows, maybe because it's so brainless/stupid it made people fund it for the hell of it who would normally not fund anything.

Ehh, honestly, they deserve it. I must be a terrible person for saying this but really, the entire fund raising was a rip off from the beginning not just now that the main developer locked out the content publisher (or whatever their roles are). Also since Arie2929 didn't even show any proof that what he says truly happened the entire drama thing could be just a cheap marketing trick to get the word out about their game and if that's their goal they're pretty successful as they already have over 900 upvotes on reddit. I wouldn't be suprised if this drama thing would be somehow magically solved after a few days and their fund raising money would skyrocket.

I'm typically not the kind of person who likes going around telling people what they "deserve," but I totally agree. Obnoxious idiots need to stop supporting obnoxious idiot projects on Kickstarter, Indiegogo, or wherever else. Supporting these "joke" games creates a toxic, anti-user atmosphere of opportunism in gaming culture. I mean, hell, why make a real game when you can just churn "Goat Simulator" for next-to-nothing and make bank on novelty and irony? They squander an opportunity to make something of substance, and at the same time, end up knocking a potentially substantial game out of a coveted slot at the top of the sales charts. Discovery is already enough of a problem on Steam and elsewhere without these empty "humor" games (which aren't even funny) taking up space. I'm all for Steam opening the floodgates eventually, but these sorts of games present the most compelling argument against doing so that I've seen thus far.

I mean, this isn't new. There is a system, and there are those who will try to exploit the system. Asking why is a silly as asking why people would cheat on tests. Being naive and thinking that indie gaming, or any form of technology, can't be exploited is really a waste of our time. Honestly, all that has literally happened here is that we gave the "Rock Simulator" even more publicity and possibly more money in its pockets.

Maybe the reason this is done so much is because it is such a surefire way to get attention.

There are a lot of developers out there who fight the good fight, and want games done the right way. However, that route takes forever to get attention. Drop in a little controversy, and all of a sudden, everyone knows who you are. Honestly, I think a new type of market is emerging targeting Youtube stars and online celebrities. It is so easy, because those Youtubers follow the fads and the news. Make a garbage game, show it on Steam, get bad publicity, get a Youtuber to review it... Profit.

I guess Indie Gaming is becoming the new mainstream...

If it isn't already. I guess now we have a taste of what it means to own something popular. People start filling it with so much trash, that soon enough it becomes an undesirable mess. But, I'm not going to let that stop me from making games though.

People start filling it with so much trash, that soon enough it becomes an undesirable mess.

It should not matter what some or even many people do. There will always be s***, thats a side effect of any public medium. Look at the good results, their value is not decreased by it.

Also, there is no need to hate anybody for making money with something like OP. They have done something (no matter how pointless) and people gave them money for. Thats how getting money works. No need to argue with this.Threads like this one and videos like the above are also not a problem. It might be that they give the project even more attention, but what do we care? It does not affect us.Its just fun to say "oh my, HOW?!", so why not.

...Also, there is no need to hate anybody for making money with something like OP. They have done something (no matter how pointless) and people gave them money for. Thats how getting money works. No need to argue with this.Threads like this one and videos like the above are also not a problem. It might be that they give the project even more attention, but what do we care? It does not affect us.

The thread is getting derailed by you guys. I would like to mention that I've created the thread because the game was funded and not because I would like to rage on yet another sh*tty random indie game and on it's developers. Those games always did exist and they always will.It's the amount of stupid people throwing money at their screens without expecting anything in return (instead of funding one of the thousands of meaningful projects) that amuses me and not that the developers trying to publish their "game" for money.I guess the bottom line here is that I have to agree with Drenius: If people are willing to pay for this kind of stuff than do it. Seems like if an indie game developer wants to make money ASAP just make the most random thing that comes to his mind (or yet another flappy bird or 2048 clone because damn creativity and originality), it'll work because this is trending nowadays.

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